Lorenzo Bressani. Image copyright Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi.
by Lorenza Priamo
The thirty seven year old sailor from Trieste Lorenzo Bressani never ceases to thrill and excite his supporters. Today ISAF, the International Sailing Federation, announced that Bressani had been shortlisted amongst the six finalists for the much-coveted ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards 2010, the Oscar of the Sailing World.
A reached goal made possible thanks to a series of truly outstanding achievements attained between September 1, 2009 and August 31, 2010. Some of the results that weighed in are certainly the victory at the 2010 Melges 24 World Championship in Tallinn, Estonia (a title Bressani had already won in 2008); two bronze medals at the 2009 Melges 32 World Championship in Porto Cervo and at the 2010 Melges 32 European Championship; a silver medal in Porto Cervo in June 2010 on board the Melges 32 during the ISAF Offshore Team World Championship - Audi Sardinia Cup.
This has been an incredibly successful year for Lorenzo Bressani: two world titles one on today’s most competitive one-designs. The first as helmsman on the Melges 24 Uka Uka Racing owned by Lorenzo Santini and the second, just two days ago, as tactician onboard the Melges 32 B-Lin Sailing, owner Luca Lalli.
Lorenzo Bressani. Image copyright Graziella Miletti.
“Being nominated for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award is absolutely fantastic – stated Lorenzo Bressani – It is the highest form recognition for professional sailors and we all aspire to the nomination: I am ecstatic. I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart everyone who supported me and my team mates from Uka Uka Racing and B-Lin Sailing: without all of you, none of this would have been possible.”
“Although the results have not been top notch, this year I also had the opportunity to start racing in the TP 52 circuit, in the role that suits me best, at the helm. This, in a team like Luna Rossa, so thank you Patrizio Bertelli,” Bressani concluded.
In the history of the Award, created in 1994, Italian sailors have been nominated only in three instances: in 2003 Gabrio Zandonà, who that year had won the World Championship in the 470 class; in 2007 and 2008 Vincenzo Onorato, winner of the Farr 40 World Championship three years in a row 2006-2007-2008); and in 2008 the four time Olympic medallist Alessandra Sensini, who then went on to win the prestigious award that year.
Lorenzo Bressani. Image copyright Perrick Contin.
Winners of past editions include Russell Coutts (NZL), Torben Grael (BRA), Ben Ainslie (GBR), Robert Scheidt (BRA), Jochen Schümann (GER) and Ed Baird (U.S.A.) just to name a few.
The winner of the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards will be announced during a Gala Dinner on Tuesday 9 November 2010 in Athens,Greece.
Lorenzo Bressani Career Highlights
8 World Titles
- ILC 25, Malta (1999)
- IMS, Porto Cervo – ITA (1999)
- J24, Medemblik – NED (2003)
- Maxi, Porto Cervo – ITA (2003)
- IMS, Neustadt – GER (2005)
- Melges 24, Porto Cervo, Porto Cervo
– ITA (2008) e Tallinn – Estonia (2010)
- Melges 32, San Francisco - U.S.A. (2010)
7 European Titles
- J 22, Porto Rotondo – ITA (1999)
- Platu 25, Anzio – ITA (2002)
- IMS, Punta Ala – ITA (2002) e (2004)
- J 24, Porto Rotondo – ITA (2003)
- Farr 40, Porto Cervo – ITA (2007)
- Melges 24, Hyeres – FRA (2009)
13 National Titles
- 470, Napoli (1998)
- J22, Portoferraio (1999)
- Melges 24, Cagliari (2009) e Alghero (2010)
- J24, Cala Galera (2000) e Rimini (2001)
- Platu 25, Sanremo (2006)
- X 35, Calagalera (2007)- Mumm 30 (2008)
- IMS, Poltu Quatu (1998), Genova (1999), Napoli (2001) e Scarlino (2004)
